The simply exceptional, extremely well documented in both written and photographic format, and very rare Second World War Fall of Greece Advent to the Battle of Thermopylae ‘Savige Force’ Servia Pass 16 April 1941 Distinguished Conduct Medal and Territorial long service group with personal diary and some 360 plus photographs, as awarded to Acting Sergeant later Warrant Officer 2nd Class C.S. ‘Tim’ Colman, D.C.M., ‘B’ Troop, 211th Battery, 64th (London) Medium Regiment, Royal Artillery. Coleman from Holloway, Islington, London, was a gifted local sportsman playing for the Islington Borough Football League during the 1920’s and 1930’s and regularly featured in the local press. His father, whose Great War medals are also included was a popular local sportsman and became the vice-chairman of the Islington Borough Football League, whilst running a newsagent and tobacconists, Coleman’s General Store, on Hornsey Road, which his son would take over in 1949. Colman was a pre-war London Territorial who fought in the Western Desert from January 1941 and formed part of 7th Armoured Division’s celebrated dash to Beda Fomm, an act that led to the surrender of some 130,000 Italian troops at El Agheila, in addition to the capture of both Bardia and Tobruk. From April 1941 he formed part of Force ‘W’ in Greece with Amyntaion Detachment, tasked with stalling the German attacks from Yugoslavia and covering an element of the Greek retreat, when facing elements of the 9th Panzer Division and the Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler Brigade. His battery, the 211th Battery, a medium artillery unit equipped with 4.5 inch guns, covered the withdrawal through the Pindus mountains that was entrusted to Brigadier Stanley Savige of the 17th Australian Infantry Brigade, whose 'Savige Force' included 64th Medium Regiment as well as New Zealand field guns and Australian anti-tank guns. It was on 16 April 1941, whilst evacuation a position on a hilltop overlooking a mountain pass, known as the Servia Pass, that Coleman won an outstanding award of the Distinguished Conduct Medal for saving the guns. On his entering the position some three days earlier had had wisely noted: ’Don’t like the look of it I think it’s a death trap…’ and on that day he would confide to his diary: ‘Well I was right. Jerry got our position easily and has shelled, machine gunned and dive bombed us, God it was murder, how we got out God only knows. We managed to save our guns but death was very close. I feel so very weary, haven’t slept for ages.’ The guns were to be withdrawn by being towed over a skyline, this being the only approach and withdrawal point, and a hostile battery which had been shelling the Troop consistently and accurately opened fire immediately the vehicle drove onto the position. The Guns were deep in mud and owing to the difficult nature of the ground and approach every gun had to be winched out. For the last hour and a half of daylight and under continual shellfire Lieutenant A.C. Darnborough and Sergeant Coleman worked on the saving of the guns. On one occasion Coleman was knocked down by the blast of a shell which landed in the gun pit and he was bruised and covered in debris but he carried on the work. After dark the stone bridge over a waddy on the gun position collapsed and two A.E.C. tractors and one gun fell into the waddy and again Coleman’s unceasing work helped to extricate the vehicles and gun. All the guns of the troop were saved and the last gun finally left the position at 0400 hrs 17th April. Throughout, Coleman worked ceaselessly and showed exceptional bravery and calmness under fire. His officer, Anthony Darnborough, was awarded the Military Cross and later became a well known British film producer, whilst Coleman was gazetted with his award on 30 December 1941, had the ribbon presented to him by Montgomery in Sicily in 1943, and eventually received it from The King in 1946. In the meantime, Coleman, who had been evacuated from Greece, and then Crete, had fought during the Syria-Lebanon Campaign, and in North Africa in Egypt, Libya and finally Tunisia. He is known to have been wounded in action at El Alamein on 30 July 1942. He then fought in Sicily and in Normandy and North West Europe, where his regiment, operating in support of 30 Corps, fired in support of the beleaguered airborne troops at Arnhem in September 1944, when firing from the direction of Nijmegen. As a unit, they gained the distinction of being allowed to wear the Airborne’s Pegasus badge on the lower right sleeve, owing to a request especially made by Major General Urquhart. the commanding officer of the 1st Airborne Division.
Group of 8: Distinguished Conduct Medal, GVI 1st type bust; (896272. A.SJT. C.C. COLEMAN. R.A.), with original issue pin; 1939-1945 Star; Africa Star with 8th Army Clasp; Italy Star; France and Germany Star; Defence Medal; War Medal; Efficiency Medal, GVI 1st type bust, with Territorial suspension; (896272. W.O.CL.2. C.S. COLEMAN. R.A.). First one wearing pin as issued, next four separately mounted swing style as worn, last three also separately mounted swing style as worn.
Condition: Nearly Extremely Fine.
Together with the related documentation and an incredible archive of original photographs relating to the recipient.
The recipient’s personal handwritten diary covering the period from 13 November 1940 when about to travel overseas to Egypt, and through to 4 January 1942. No daily accounts, though each date when entered is given, but summarising key moments in his service during that period, that importantly covers his time spent in Egypt, Greece, Palestine and Syria and then on into North Africa. The inside of the diary is inscribed: ’Sjt Coleman 896272’.
Letter to the recipient from the parents of one of the officers of the 211th Battery, namely Captain Denis Ashley Edwards, serving with 211/64th Medium Regiment R.A., who had died as a result of injuries incurred whilst on active service, dying in hospital in Oxford to where he had been airlifted from Egypt, and dying on 11 August 1944, this letter addressed to the recipient, dated 28 August 1944. Giving details of his final hours, and passing there thanks to his Troop for arranging flowers. Captain Edwards is buried in Botley Cemetery in Oxford.
Letter to the recipient from Antony Darnborough at Pinewood Studios, this being the British film producer with whom Coleman had served, they being decorated at the same time, Coleman being awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal, and Darnborough the Military Cross. Darnborough wrote to Coleman: ‘Although everything seems pretty busy around here these days I often think of you, and the good times we had together. Now I come to think of it I wouldn’t be alive to get married anyway if it wasn’t for you.’ Dated 12 June 1951. Signed in ink: Tony Darnborough. Attached to the letter with the aid of a paperclip is a photograph of both Darnborough and Coleman standing side by side, on the back is annotated: ‘Capt. Darnborough and myself just after being informed of our decorations.’ This taken somewhere in the Western Desert.
Letter to the recipient from the Duke of Gloucester’s Red Cross and St. John Fund at St. Jame’s Palace, London, thanking him for the donation from “B” Troop, 211/64th Medium Regiment. R.A., and attached is the official receipt for the received funds. Letter dated 26 January 1945.
Photographs. A collection of approximately 367 original photographs, these nearly all annotated with some som shots of this troop in action, as taken by or of the recipient during his military service through the Second World War when in Egypt, Greece, Palestine, Syria, North Africa including the Western Desert, Libya and Tunisia, Sicily and Italy, and finally Holland and Germany. Also a further 72 original photographs that he liberated from German prisoners of war during his travels, the majority of which were probably acquired in North Africa.
1) A very fine photograph of ‘Cyril Coleman’ this taken when he was a Lance Corporal and still stationed in the United Kingdom, taken circa 1939. There is also another image. taken around the same time and a group shot, that gives the location at Tetbury.
2) 9 original photographs of the recipient being presented with the ribbon of his award of the Distinguished Conduct Medal by General Bernard Montgomery, these taken in Sicily, with a further 14 photographs detailing the parade itself, before and after shots, and images of Montgomery speaking to the troops, those who were being decorated on this occasion, and also those who were watching their comrades being decorated.
3) 10 original photographs of the parade held somewhere on the occasion of the ‘Prime Minister’s Inspection’. This being taken in North Africa, with Winston Churchill being identifiable in a number of images, he clearly wearing a Royal Air Force uniform. Coleman is identified in at least one.
4) 9 original photograph showing the ‘Duke of Gloucester’s Visit’. This believed to have occurred in either Syria or Palestine. On annotated: ‘Duke of Gloucester inspects regiment’.
5) A photograph taken in North Africa circa 1942-1943 showing the two officers most directly linked to Coleman, annotated on reverse: ‘Captain “Tony”, Major Eason’. These are Captain Antony Darnborough M.C., and Major Edward Bruton Eason, M.C. and Bar. The former, who was decorated at the same time as Coleman, became a British film producer during the late 1940’s and early 1950’s, whilst the latter was killed in action in Sicily on 6 May 1943.
6) An old paper envelope of original photographs - the envelope marked: Greece & Crete.
a) 24 original photographs, detailing time spent on operations in Greece, nothing particularly identifiable to Crete however. Mostly annotated. Notable images include some annotated ‘’En route Greece with escort’ - this when sailing there; ‘Greece going to the front’; ‘Evacuation Bay Greece Marathon Bay’. Locations include Athens, Thebes, Moless, Hasanna, Mount Olympus. Some images of ‘A’ Troop and some of the men named, and there is also one of the Servia Pass where he won his Distinguished Conduct Medal.
7) An old paper envelope of original photographs - the envelope marked: Syria.
a) Syria: 100 photographs. All annotated. Notable images are annotated: ‘Pulling guns back for test. Syria. I’m not doing ballet just directing operations!!’; ‘B. Sub. My gun just about to fire. Syria. I’m holding rammer.’; ‘Pillars of the Temple of Jupiter Syria. The little man at the base of the second pillar is your favourite husband…’; ‘Hadsaya Syria. Local village 5/3/42.’; ‘B. Sub firing 155 Syria’; ‘Free French on parade’; ‘Free French Damascus Parade for General de Gaulle’; ‘General de Gaulle in Damascus’ - this showing the General passing by in an open top car, with another of him on some steps after leaving his car; ‘In action again’, images of Free French Coloured and Cavalry troops, some images of Beirut, also one of a British plane practicing dive bombing. Notable images relating to personnel he served with, one details a ‘Phil Porter, Tahag June 1941 Died 29-9-41’. This being Lance Bombardier (No.947019) 64 Medium Regt., Royal Artillery who died on 29 September 1941, being buried in Syria in Damascus Commonwealth War Cemetery. He was the son of Ernest William and Eleanor Rose Porter; husband of Alma Constance Porter, of Leigh-on-Sea, Essex. Another is of an early grave stone and is annotated: ‘Tommy Small R.I.P. Beirut’, this being identified as Sergeant Thomas Robert Small, 64th Medium Regiment, who died on 28 September 1941 at Beirut. He being the son of Thomas Robert and Elizabeth Small; husband of Joyce Evelyn Small, of Great Missenden, Buckinghamshire.
8) An old paper envelope of original photographs - the envelope marked: Palestine.
a) Palestine: 4 photographs, all annotated, detailing the Sea of Galilee, a convoy and Haifa and Mount Carmel.
9) An old paper envelope of original photographs - the envelope marked: Egypt, Libya and Tunisia, though none appearing to be from Tunisia.
a) Egypt: 47 photographs, the majority of Cairo and time spent on leave there, but also some taken in the Western Desert during the advance towards Libya. All annotated. Includes ‘Mersa Matruh’, Alexandria and the interned French battleship Lorraine, Three, in the spirit of the times are annotated: ‘“Wog” Wedding Cairo’; ‘Wog Hawker’ and ‘Wog Quarter’.
b) Libya / Tunisia: 63 photographs - nearly all appear to be taken when on active service in Libya, and nearly all are annotated, with some superb images of the action, including B Troop guns firing; men of this unit; captured German and Italian prisoners / equipment etc. Some men identified by name, recipient also identified in a number of images. Notable photographs detail: ‘B. Sub. resting during barrage of Tobruk, i’m holding a mess tin in the middle’, and ‘A Sub ready to fire Halfaya Pass’. Also ‘Italian G.H.Q. General Bergonzallio surrenders his staff complete’ - this wonder image showing the Italian Staff all arriving loaded onto one truck; and ‘Italians captured at Bardia well prepared to be P.O.W. long before we caught them’ - this image detailing some prisoners who had packed perfectly in readiness for their time as prisoners with all belongings to hand!’; ‘Burning German Dump in action Libia’; ‘Bardia seen from the O.P. shells bursting in the foreground’; and ‘“Shorty” Edwards G.P.O. B. Troop Bardia’.
c) Some 23 original photographs, nearly all annotated, these predominantly with no locations detailed, but also generally interesting action shots, images of vehicles and equipment, or else identifying subjects by name, or else his B Troop. Notable images include the same as listed above with 1951 letter, this being of Coleman and Captain Antony Darnborough M.C., taken just after they had been notified of their awards; one annotated on the reverse: ‘My gun B Sub firing and by day. I’m holding the rammer behind the gun.’; another annotated: ‘Our C.O. on Right Hand side 2nd in command on left. We lost our C.O. in Greece, please look after this snap for me.’ The commanding officer identified in this image is Lieutenant Colonel Ronald Leslie Syer, T.D., commanding the 64th Medium Regiment, who died in Greece on 18 April 1941. Another notable photograph is annotated: ‘Major Eason killed in action Sicily’. this being taken in North Africa and showing Major Edward Bruton Eason, M.C. and Bar, who was killed in action in Sicily on 6 May 1943. There is an image that shows Coleman on his return from a period of operations, this annotated: ‘I’m afraid I look really grim darling, but perhaps its because we had just returned from the Desert…’ There is a great image annotated: ‘Lt Pickershill out for “Game”, this showing said officer seating astride a camel whilst cradling a hunting rifle. There are also images of Italian prisoners and damaged German transport, and one other showing vessels at sea, this annotated: ‘German Transports sneaking across the Med.’
10) An old paper envelope of original photographs - the envelope marked: Sicily & Italy. All images appear to be taken in Sicily, with the Italian mainland being identified generally as distant coastal shots taken from the coast of Sicily, though one image is taken on the mainland, this annotated: ‘Toe of Italy just after the invasion’.
a) 46 photographs, nearly all annotated, notable ones includied are annotated: ‘All the lads..’ this being an entire photograph of B Troop when on operations in Sicily; ‘Capt. Turner B.S.M. Shore’; ‘Lt Sidebottom’; ‘Italian guns embedded in concrete’; ‘One of our guns firing on Italy’; ‘A. Troop Mesina’; ‘Messina sea front after R.A.F. bombing note troopship badly hit’; Lt. Sidebottom, Pilcher, Perigo’, another annotated: ‘German 175 gun left intact Sicily’; and one more showing some recently dug and marked graves, this simply annotated: ‘killed by Nebelwerfer in Sicily’.
11) An old paper envelope of original photographs - the envelope marked: Germany, but also containing images from operations in Holland in late 1944.
a) 15 photographs, nearly all annotated, notable ones included are annotated: four - one dated ‘7-10-44’ (a superb solo image of the recipient wearing a liberators flower in his button hole) the others dated ‘8-10-44’ and ‘Hees / Nijmegen / Holland’ and 21-9 - 9-10-44’ - this indicating the dates his unit was there when part of 30 Corps advance to relieve Arnhem’ - and comprising images of him and others he was serving with; ‘The Waal frozen with people walking from side to side of the river’; ‘Christmas in Holland’ - this showing Nijmegen Bridge; then ‘Nijmegen 22 February 1945 view from house’ showing the smoke from shelling; also some images of a Lieutenant Siebold. Final one of note is annotated: ‘Regt v Navy Cricket Match in Germany’.
12) An old paper envelope of original photographs - the envelope marked: ‘German Snaps from Prisoners’. 72 photographs in all, and taken by Coleman during the course of his service from prisoners he came across whilst on active service in Greece, Syria, North Africa, Sicily and Italy, and North West Europe in Holland and Germany. All photographs were taken by German soldiers, the majority show the German army when it was advancing in what appears to have been French the early period of the war on the Eastern Front, some good uniform images, recreational scenes, on the march, destroyed buildings, war graves and refugees. Some specific images stand out: 4 images show men of the RAD (Reichsarbeitsdienst) Labour Unit, the sleeve patch 305 over 3 being clearly present, the indicates RAD unit 3/305 located at Sundheim in Baden, now Baden-Wurttemberg; there are some images of early Panzer tanks - one of a column of them circa 1940, another of a knocked out one, and also another a knocked out French tank (4 in all); there is a single image of a damaged Bf109 fighter aircraft concealed in some trees, having been apparently damaged whilst on the ground, it has the number ‘5’ painted on its side, and the back part of its tail has been shot off. One final image is unusual, it appears show Foreign Volunteers, possibly from the Balkans, possibly Bosniak, who wearing the German eagle, and in formation marching.
The medals of the recipients father: Driver G.A. Coleman, Royal Artillery, who saw service out in Mesopotamia during 1917 and 1918.
Pair: British War Medal and Victory Medal; (211214 DVR. G.A. COLEMAN. R.A.)
Condition: Good Very Fine.
Cyril Charles Coleman, known as Tim, was born on 18 May 1914 in Islington, London, he being the son of George Alfred Coleman and Ruby Maud Callard, and baptised on 16 June 1914. His father was a tile mosaic fixer, and the family were then living at 3 Queensland Road, Holloway. He was the third child, with an elder sister, Ruby May Henrietta Coleman born back on 7 October 1910, and an elder brother, Thomas Walter Coleman, born on 6 April 1912, with a younger brother, Ernest Alfred Coleman, born in April 1918, however he sadly passed away on 23 April 1919, and then a younger sister, Matilda Mary Coleman, born in August 1922. He was educated at Forster London County Council School in Hornsey Road.
His father had been born on 10 September 1882 in Barnsbury, London, and having been educated at Forster School, where his son would also go, was, as mentioned, circa 1916 was a tile mosaic fixer, but he then saw service during the First World War, when he enlisted into the British Army at St. Pancras on 17 July 1916, and joined as a Gunner (No.211214) the Royal Artillery. Initially posted to the 28th Reserve Battery, Royal Field Artillery, he then embarked as Devonport on 11 September 1917 and disembarked at the dockyard at Magil in Mesopotamia on 20 November 1917, before joining the 336th Brigade R.F.A. at Makina, Basra from 14 May 1918, and seeing service with the 18th Division. On 16 April 1919 he was posted home and was then transferred to the Class “Z” Reserve on 9 November 1919. The British War Medal and Victory Medal are confirmed as his full entitlement.
After the war Tim Coleman’s father, who was a popular local sportsman and became the vice-chairman of the Islington Borough Football League, ran a newsagent and tobacconists whilst continuing to reside at 3 Queensland Road, Highbury, Holloway, where he was as of 1939.
Like his father he was also a gifted sportsman, and soon hit the local newspapers. The Islington and Holloway Press of 30 October 1926 would carry an article on his regiment his sporting prowess when aged 12, and then the same newspaper on 1 October 1932 would write an article on him in the section for ‘Our Local Players’. This titled: ‘Young But Full of Promise - Brilliant Cyril Coleman’ would note that whilst still only 18, he had in a comparatively few years made his mark in Islington sport. Whilst at school he had developed his ability at football under the tuition as a master there, Mr. S. Grimes, and then played in goal for the school for the representative games of the Islington and District Schools’ Football Association in two seasons. ‘Many honours came his way and, on leaving school, the association awarded him a medal for brilliant services rendered.’ Then when he left school he was approached by the Hoxton Manor Boys’ Club, ‘where under the care of Mr. A.J. Betts, he kept goal for the junior team two seasons. Gaining a place in the senior team his brilliant work in goal helped his side to win the championship of the Northern Suburban League and also the Tottenham Charity Cup in the same season.’ He also played cricket as a wicket keeper. He would regularly appear in local papers during the 1930’s, all relating to his participation in the local football league.
As of the time of the 1939 Register, Tim Coleman was for some reason apparently residing in Partick, Glasgow, but he wold later move to be near his parents, and settled at 108 Queensland Road.
For his part, Tim Coleman attested into the Territorial Army in 1939 as a Gunner (No.896272) with the Royal Artillery, and was mobilised on the outbreak of the Second World War for service as a member of ‘B’ Troop of the 211th Battery, a unit of the 64th (London) Medium Regiment R.A., whose headquarters were in Islington and serving as part of the London District Troops. The Holloway Press for 20 October 1939 would publish information on his having got married the previous Saturday in the Hollypark Church at Crouch Hill. His wife was one Florence Pope, and Coleman is then noted as a Bombardier in the Royal Artillery. His old Islington Borough Football Leaguer’s joined in wishing he and his wife ‘every happiness and the best of luck.’ Coleman would later refer to his wife as Lorrie.
In April 1940 his regiment moved to Tetbury in Gloucestershire where it remained. From July 1940 it was doing duty on aerodrome defence, with ‘B’ Troop being located at Hardwick in Cambridgeshire, and the regiment then reassembled at High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire in September 1940, and prepared for embarkation overseas.
Coleman’s personal diary began on 13 November 1940: ‘Left High Wycombe for embarkation.’
Th regiment then sailed overseas, with Coleman, by then a Bombardier and Acting Sergeant, embarking for the Middle East aboard the troop ship and requisitioned liner Otranto on 14 November 1940, when at Glasgow. He recorded in his diary on that day: ‘Arrived Glasgow. Embarked on the Otranto, we are now ready to depart for?’
On 16 November he wrote in his diary: ‘Sailed down the Clyde and dropped anchor, men in high spirits, machine guns mounted on decks. We are now anchored in Greenock Bay, wonderful view of Scotland Hills.’
The Otranto sailed two days later and reached Freetown on the Gold Coast of West Africa on 29 November after a rough passage.
On 21 November he recorded in his diary: ‘Well on our way now across the Atlantic. Water very rough. I’m afraid I have been very sea-sick. There is other troop ships and we are guarded by several destroyers and 2 cruisers. It looks a grand sight. We have put our clocks back 2 hours already, so you can guess how far we have travelled.’
On 23 November he wrote in his diary: ‘Still going strong, weather getting rather warmer. I am feeling much better now, and getting quite a good sailor, expect to reach Freetown about Tuesday, which means that we are on or near the West Coast of Africa. The lads tried a new way of washing clothes out of the porthole. Rope frayed and they lost the lot. We have a good Sgt’s Mess and things are quite comfortable.’
On 28 November he wrote in his diary: ‘I have been 11 days on the water so far. We have travelled the North Atlantic, and are now well over the South Atlantic, we are heading for the African Coast, so we are in the tropics. It is very hot now, I have seen the Southern Cross, which makes me a real traveller. Miss Florrie terrible lot. Had our first deck sports today against the Aussies, they just beat us.’
On 29 November he wrote in his diary: ‘We reached Freetown this morning, our first port of call. Great fun throwing coins to the natives and watch them dive in the sea for them. Very strange place this, part of the Gold Coast, very hot, coast line thick with African forests and very forbidding hills. Lots of warships in this bay, one has been badly hit. Natives in boats try to sell monkeys, fruit, fancy silk scarfs, good fun listening to them. We are taking on water.’
He sailed on in convoy from Freetown on 1 December, and wrote in his diary: ‘4.50 pm. We have just left Freetown, plenty of flying boats about, all the ships in the bay cheered as we went by. The African coast is just fading in the gloom, we shall soon be out in the open sea. We were all to hear the overseas news every night, very disappointed in the Australian soldiers, very troublesome. Would love to hear from the folks in England, the heat is getting worse each day, but so far I don’t mind it, we are heading for Cape Town.’ Coleman crossed the Equator two days later and recorded in his diary on 3 December: ‘Passed the Equator today but the weather has become very cloudy and quite chilly. Boat is behaving well and I have become quite a good sailor, rather strange, the moon now appears to be upside down, we have put our clocks back to, London time again. Miss the letters from home. Seems ages since I was home, I have been able to have a sea-water bath every morning, feel very fit and well.’
Coleman’s troopship reached Durban in South Africa on 12 December, leaving there two days later.
On 12 December he wrote in his diary: ‘We have now reached Durban, it will probably be several hours before we dock. It looks a fine place from where we are at sea. The weather is fine and getting very hot, we passed Cape Town but did not stop, rather disappointing. Looking forward to setting foot on land again, feel very fit and well, I am going to try and send a cable home in time for Christmas.’
On 16 December he wrote: ‘We left Durban the morning after having a wonderful time, it is a fine city and the people made me really welcome. I made friends with a man as he worked in the local Wireless Station. He took Frank and I to his home and gave us a good time. Managed to send a cable home, had a ride in a rickshaw, quite good fun, did some swimming, and I have got very brown. As we left the people lined the docks and cheered and the trains and boats all sounded their sirens. It was a very impressive sight. I’m afraid the Aussies behaved themselves very badly and I am very disgusted with them, so is everybody on board. The sea is quite choppy today, but the sun is shining. feel very homesick.’
By Christmas Day 1940 he was aboard ship in the Indian Ocean, and entered in his diary: ‘Christmas Day. Sun very hot, and blue skies, all seems very strange. We had quite a good time on board, but miss the Folks at home very much. We are now in the Indian Ocean but it is just like any other sea, we are heading for the Red Sea and Suez. but I don’t think we will go through the Canal.’
Coleman docked at Port Suez on 29 December, before sailing on through the Suez Canal and docking at Kantara the following day. On 29 December he wrote: ‘Docked at Port Suez. We are going through the Canal to Kantara where we disembark. I have seen Mount Sinai where Moses made his Commandments, there is a good stretch of Desert here, plenty of camels.’ Then on 30 December he wrote: ‘We have docked at Kantara, it was a nice journey up the canal, miles of desert one side and a good road with little outposts and villages the other. Several Camel Corps stationed. We leave this liner tomorrow morning at 6.30 a.m.’
As of 1 January 1941 he arrived at Mena Camp in Egypt. Coleman confided in his diary: ‘I am now at Mena Camp Egypt, just at the base of the Pyramids, very interesting place. Had a terrible journey by cattle truck from the dock. We passed several small villages with mud buildings and very dirty, we are waiting to go up the line. I have been all over the Pyramids and, have seen the Sphinx. Italian prisoners passed here yesterday.’
Mussolini had invaded Egypt back in September 1940, but the Italian Army, that had delayed the assault by a month, owing to being hampered by a lack of transport, enfeebled by the low level of training among officers, and weakened by the state of its supporting equipment. The Italian battle plan was to advance along the coastal road while limited armoured forces operated on the desert flank. To counter the Italian advance, Wavell ordered his screening forces to harass the advancing Italians, falling back towards Mersa Matruh, where the main British infantry force was based. Positioned on the desert flank was the 7th Armoured Division, which would strike at the flank of the Italian force. By 16 September, the Italian force had advanced to Maktila, around 80 miles west of Mersa Matruh, where they halted due to supply problems. The Italian commander ordered his men to dig in around Sidi Barrani, and fortified camps were established in forward locations; additional troops were also positioned behind the main force.
In response to the dispersed Italian camps, the British planned a limited five-day attack, Operation Compass, to strike at these fortified camps one by one. The British Commonwealth force, totalling 36,000 men, attacked the forward elements of the 10-division-strong Italian army on 9 December. Following their initial success, the forces of Operation Compass pursued the retreating Italian forces. In January, the small port at Bardia was taken, soon followed by the seizure of the fortified port of Tobruk.
In January 1941, his battery and the majority of his regiment joined 13 Corps at Tobruk, and went on the offensive during the Western Desert Campaign against the Italian Tenth Army. Coleman would confide in his diary on 15 January 1941. ‘Left today for the front. Passed by several captured villages and saw thousands of prisoners and fields of captured guns etc. Water is very short and it means I have grown a fine beard. All the lads are well, we are now very near to the battle from of Tobruk. We will soon be in action.’ On 21 January he wrote: ‘We went into action this morning. We are a few miles off Tobruk, the time if 5.40 a.m. The infantry and tanks have gone forward, we are going to shell for 4 hours. I pity the enemy. The town is well ablaze and the Air Force are bombing the town.’
On 22 January he wrote: ‘We have advanced close to the town, most of it has been captured. We are firing on some big guns that are shelling us. Shells are falling near but we are safe so far. I have seen several dead and wounded, not a nice sight, we have silenced the guns and are staying here for the night.’
Some 40,000 Italians were captured in and around the two ports of Bardia and Tobruk.
With the fall of both Bardia and Tobruk, the remainder of the Italian Tenth Army began retreating along the coast road back to El Agheila. The British 7th Armoured Division then advanced across the desert with a small reconnaissance group. It reached Beda Fomm some ninety minutes before the Italians, cutting off their retreat.
After Tobruk, Coleman’s battery found itself assigned to the 7th Armoured Division, and as such moved on to Gazala and Martuba in Libya.
On 27 February he wrote: We are now well passed Tobruk, and are for the moment at a rest camp. There has been a lot of paper talk about the Australians doing all the good, but the British Armoured Div, are the real heroes. Water is very scarce but we have captured a lot of enemy food and equipment. Terrific sandstorms, horrible things. Moving up the line again tomorrow.
On 4 February he wrote: ‘We have now joined the Armoured Division and was are moving forward very fast. We captured Derna and have captured a number of lorries. We are moving forwards towards the capital of Libya, Benghazi, the last lap I hope, we have not received any mail for three months, longing for news.’ Two days later on 6 February he wrote: ‘We are now at Benghazi after a nightmare journey of the Desert, bumping over rocks for mile after mile. The battle has started but we are waiting just outside the town area ready to move forward. I think we will be in action. This evening it has started to rain.
Although they tried desperately to overcome the British force at the Battle of Beda Fomm on 6 to 7 February, the Italians were unable to break through, and the remnants of the retreating army surrendered.
On 8 February Coleman wrote: ‘Benghazi has fallen without much fighting, we have at least 28,000 prisoners and the whole G.H.Q. so it means the end of the war here. I had the job of searching prisoners, didn’t enjoy it much. We found a lot of food and tools so we are OK. I wonder where we will go next. We are preparing to move. (England) ? (I wonder).’
Over ten weeks Allied forces had destroyed the Italian Tenth Army and reached El Agheila, taking 130,000 prisoners of war in the process.
In the aftermath of the surrender of the 130,000 Italian troops surrendering, Mussolini had requested help from his German allies, and had also speedily sent several large motorised and armoured forces to sure up the defences in what remained of the Italian colonies there. This greatly expanded reinforcement included the soon-to-be-renowned Ariete Armoured division. Meanwhile, the Germans hastily assembled a motorised force, whose lead elements arrived in Tripoli in February. This relatively small expeditionary force, termed the Afrika Korps by Adolf Hitler, was placed under the command of Erwin Rommel. His orders were to reinforce the Italians and block Allied attempts to drive them out of the region. However, the initial commitment of only one panzer division and subsequently, no more than two panzer and one motorised divisions, indicated the limited extent of German involvement and commitment to this theatre of operations. The bulk of the reinforcements were Italian and therefore it was up to the Italians to do the bulk of the fighting. The forward Allied force – now named 13 Corps – adopted a defensive posture and over the coming months was built up, before most of its veteran forces were redeployed to Greece to counter the German invasion there. This was the case for Coleman’s unit.
Coleman’s battery was now manning positions at Giovanni Berta, Mechili and then Soluch. On 14 February he wrote: ‘We left our base today, it was a little place called Soluch. Dive bombers have attacked us several times doing slight damage. I hope we are on our way to England. We have 13 days road journey to Cairo, the War is more or less over here. We have managed to do a good job of work but I am glad it is over.’
As of 4 March he had returned to Mena Camp. He wrote in his diary on that day: ‘Returned to rest camp at Mena Camp Egypt. We had quite a good journey. We are getting prepared to move to a much hotter climate, more fun I expect. Feel very homesick, long for letters. Lots of soldiers here, all waiting for orders. Received more inoculations today, don’t feel so good. We have covered 2208 road miles so far.’
From March 1941 Coleman and his unit found itself assigned to the 1st ANZAC Corps for duty in Greece, and sailed in convoy for Piraeus, where after a brief period spent in Athens it moved into positions at Vevi, Servia and Thermopylae. On 7 March he wrote: ‘Left Mena Camp Egypt for our next Battle. We are going to Alexandria and then by boat. I don’t know where. Large number of troops in this area. Weather getting very sultry and hot, air of mystery surrounds this move. News from home very scarce.’ Then on 18 March he wrote: ‘Left Alexandria for Athens. Sea quite smooth, so far we are on a Greek ship, called the Corinthia, quite small but very well built, an amazing amount of important warships in the harbour, it looks a good sight, lots of captured French boats. Cheerio Egypt.’ On 20 March: ‘Arrived at the Gulf of Athens. Quite a good trip, sea got rather rough half way but felt O.K. There is an air raid on here but I think we are fairly safe. We move off in the morning by train to our next station. Hello Greece. Arrived at Port Piraeus, came great welcome by locals.’ During his journey towards the front he made the most of observing the historic sights and taking in the views. On 23 March he wrote: ‘Left our camp at (?), we are heading for the Border, snow capped mountains around us, many wonderful scenes, cheering crowds and flags in every village, everybody very excited. Very cold at night. We are camping at Atlantis for the night.’ On 24 March he wrote: ‘Off again. I like this country and Athens has many wonderful sights. Passed through Nartise (?), and had a very fine time in a little country village, but place full of spies.. Have seen Mt Olympus and Elizabeth, very fine scenery, can hardly believe some of the sights.’ On 29 March he confided to his diary: ‘We are now in a little glen with mountains each side. We are digging for R.A.S.C. Fine little place, but I am afraid we will be going to Yugoslavia very soon, we are only a few miles from the border. No hope of mail from home. Have only received one letter so far.’
Th 64th (London) Medium Regiment now found itself a part of Force ‘W’ under Lieutenant General Henry Wilson, commanding the British and Commonwealth forces in Greece. Wilson had anticipated the German advance through Yugoslavia, and had placed a force to protect this dangerous flank, the becoming known as the Amyntaion Detachment, to which the regiment formed a part. It fought alongside the 3rd Royal Tank Regiment, the 27th New Zealand Machine-Gun Battalion and and the Australian Anti-Tank Regiment, and as the campaign developed it was also tasked with covering an element of the Greek retreat.
On 6 April 1941 the Germans began their invasion of mainland Greece from Bulgaria, whilst simultaneously entering Yugoslavia. They soon threatened to encircle the Greek forces in Albania, and severed an important rail line between Belgrade and Thessaloniki, thus isolating Yugoslavia from its Allies. Pushing through central Yugoslavia the 9th Panzer Division then linked up with the Italians at the Albanian border. Despite many delays along the mountain roads, an armoured advance guard dispatched toward Thessaloniki succeeded in entering the city by the morning of 9 April. Thessaloniki was taken after a long battle with three Greek divisions. The Metaxas Line was therefore breached. Thessaloniki was Greece's second-largest city and a strategically important port. The British and ANZAC forces now faced the prospect of being pinned by Germans operating from Thessaloniki, while being flanked by the German XL Panzer Corps descending through the Monastir Gap.
On 11 April Coleman wrote: ‘It’s Good Friday we have moved to the frontier and now face the Germans. We opened fire early today and really gave them hell but they are very good and still come on. It is snowing and very cold.’ The enemy his battery fired upon on this day was the Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler Brigade. On 12 April he wrote: ‘After a terrific battle we had to withdraw to our main line. Things got very warm and we just scraped home. Jerry not more than a thousand yards away before we made our dash.’ On 13 April all British forces were ordered to withdraw to the Haliacmon river and then to the narrow pass at Thermopylae.
As Force ‘W’ withdrew, the roads over the Pindus mountains were entrusted to Brigadier Stanley Savige of the 17th Australian Infantry Brigade, whose 'Savige Force' included 64th Medium Regiment as well as New Zealand field guns and Australian anti-tank guns.
On 13 April Coleman wrote: ‘Moving forward again to a position on a hilltop overlooking mountain pass. Don’t like the look of it I think it’s a death trap. Still off we go.’ His unit was being moved to the Servia Pass.
On 14 April, the 9th Panzer Division established a bridgehead across the Haliacmon river, but an attempt to advance beyond this point was stopped by intense Allied fire. This defence had three main components: the Platamon tunnel area between Olympus and the sea, the Olympus pass itself and the Servia pass to the south-east, the being where Coleman was located. By channelling the attack through these three defiles, the new line offered far greater defensive strength. The defences of the Olympus and Servia passes consisted of the 4th New Zealand Brigade, 5th New Zealand Brigade and the 16th Australian Brigade. For the next three days, the advance of the 9th Panzer Division was stalled in front of these resolutely held positions. The New Zealanders soon found themselves enveloped on both sides, after the failure of the Western Macedonia Army to defend the Albanian town of Korça that fell unopposed to the Italian 9th Army on 15 April, forcing the British to abandon the Mount Olympus position. The New Zealanders withdrew, crossing the Pineios river; by dusk, they had reached the western exit of the Pineios Gorge. On 16 April it was decided to withdraw to Thermopylae. This withdrawal was to be made in leapfrogging moves. The British, Australian and New Zealand forces remained under attack throughout the withdrawal.
It was during the move to withdraw when still in positions in the Servia Pass on 16 April 1941 that Coleman, with ‘B’ Troop, 211th Battery, 64th Medium Regiment, performed the act of gallantry that led to his award of the Distinguished Conduct Medal.
On this day, Coleman confided in his diary: ‘Well I was right. Jerry got our position easily and has shelled, machine gunned and dive bombed us, God it was murder, how we got out God only knows. We managed to save our guns but death was very close. I feel so very weary, haven’t slept for ages.’
The recommendation for his award reads as follows: ‘The Troop was ordered to withdraw in the evening 16/4/41 from the Troop Position near Servia. The only approach to the Gun position was across the skyline. A hostile battery which had been shelling the Troop consistently and accurately opened fire immediately the vehicle drove onto the position. The Guns were deep in mud and owing to the difficult nature of the ground an approach every gun had to be winched out. For the last hour and a half of daylight and under continual shellfire Lt. A.C. Darnborough and Sjt. Coleman worked on the saving of the guns. On one occasion Sjt. Coleman was knocked down by the blast of a shell which landed in the gun pit and he was bruised and covered in debris but he carried on the work. After dark the stone bridge over a waddy on the gun position collapsed and two A.E.C. tractors and one gun fell into the waddy and again Sjt. Coleman’s unceasing work helped to extricate the vehicles and gun. All the guns of the troop were saved and the last gun finally left the position at 0400 hrs 17th April. Throughout the night Sjt. Coleman worked ceaselessly and showed exceptional bravery and calmness under fire and was a fine example to the men under him.’
Both Lieutenant Anthony Darnborough and Sergeant Coleman were decorated for this incident, with the former being awarded the Military Cross. Coleman’s award of the Distinguished Conduct Medal was published in the London Gazette for 30 December 1941. It was whilst he was in Sicily in July to September 1943 that he would be presented with the ribbon for his award by General Bernard Montgomery, and it was only after the war that he was invested with his decoration by King George VI, as reported in a local paper on 24 May 1946 under the headline of ‘Holloway Newsagents Son Awarded D.C.M.’ This same newspaper carried an adjoining article titled ’Nazis Among Camden Town Shopper’s’, with two German prisoners of war who were interned in Suffolk, having walked there only to be apprehended by a local man named Bob Fake.
As early as 16 April, the German command realised that the British were evacuating troops on ships at Volos and Piraeus. The campaign then took on the character of a pursuit. For the Germans, it was now primarily a question of maintaining contact with the retreating British forces and foiling their evacuation plans. German infantry divisions were withdrawn due to their limited mobility. The 2nd and 5th Panzer Divisions, the 1st SS Motorised Infantry Regiment and both mountain divisions launched a pursuit of the Allied forces.
On the night of 17/18 April, Savige Force withdrew towards Larissa. Germans tanks appeared in front of the New Zealand rearguard at mid-day on 18 April, and were engaged for the rest of the day by a troop of 64th Medium Regiment.
To allow an evacuation of the main body of British forces, General Wilson had ordered the rearguard to make a last stand at the historic Thermopylae pass, the gateway to Athens. General Freyberg's 2nd New Zealand Division was given the task of defending the coastal pass, while Mackay's 6th Australian Division was to hold the village of Brallos. After the battle Mackay was quoted as saying "I did not dream of evacuation; I thought that we'd hang on for about a fortnight and be beaten by weight of numbers." When the order to retreat was received on the morning of 23 April, it was decided that the two positions were to be held by one brigade each. These brigades, the 19th Australian and 6th New Zealand were to hold the passes as long as possible, allowing the other units to withdraw. The Germans attacked at 11:30 on 24 April, but met fierce resistance, lost 15 tanks and sustained considerable casualties. The Allies held out the entire day; with the delaying action accomplished, they retreated in the direction of the evacuation beaches and set up another rearguard at Thebes. The Panzer units launching a pursuit along the road leading across the pass made slow progress because of the steep gradient and difficult hairpin bends. This set the motion for the Battle of Thermopylae that lasted from 24 to 25 April 1941.
During the withdrawal on 18 April 1941, Coleman’s 64 Medium Regiment commander, Lieutenant Colonel Ronald Leslie Syer, T.D., was killed in action..
Coleman next took to his diary in 24 April, and wrote: ‘We are now on the coast in an effort to prevent Jerry from cutting off our troops. I am afraid we are very open to air attack and we have already been machine gunned. We are supposed to withdraw tonight from our place of embarkation. I pray we make it without loss.’ On 25 April he wrote: ‘We smashed our guns last night and it almost broke my heart to see it afterwards. Still the work we had to do was well done and we most certainly gave Jerry a headache. We are now at a rendezvous preparing to leave at a small bay at night. Thank God for the navy, Jerry is very near.’ That next day, 26 April he wrote: ‘The navy has done a wonderful job of work, we embarked tonight and its really amazing 25,000 of us got clear before dawn. I found myself on an AA cruiser, the HMS Carlisle, the best ship in the world, we are going to Crete and then on to Alexandria.’
Coleman and his unit were evacuated from the Marathon beaches and put aboard the anti-aircraft cruiser H.M.S. Carlisle, and then landed at Suda Bay on Crete on 27 April. He wrote on that day: ‘Landed safe and sound, dreadful mix up, but we are gradually sorting the units out. Most of our lads are safe, this place reminds me of England. i have lost most of my equipment, still who cares, it meant somebody extra able to get on the boat.’
On Crete, 234 Battery plus A Troop 211 Battery were issued with Italian 100mm Howitzers & 72mm Guns to defend Heraklion aerodrome. Coleman as a member of ’B’ Troop was sent with the rest of the regiment to Perivolia near Canea, to act as infantry.
In the meantime the German forces had entered Athens on 25 April, and the Greek King and his government left the Greek mainland for Crete. The German forces attacked Crete on 20 May. Coleman confided in his diary on 17 May: ‘Still on Crete, Jerry bombs us pretty often but things are not too bad. No hope of mail. Jerry has just bombed and sunk 3 ammo boats. Terrific bangs as they blew up. We are guarding the King of Greece, Bob is amongst the missing, I hope he is safe.’
Then on 18 May he wrote: ‘My birthday, Jerry is getting very dangerous, he has started mass air raids and has done a lot of damage. We have had some grand fun on the sea-shore here. The water is lovely but i shall be very glad to get off this island.’ The Germans invaded Crete on 20 May and Coleman wrote: ‘The Germans have really started now, they bombed and machine gunned first thing then dropped parachutists. Later then the fun started, guns rifles etc have been popping for hours. It seems as if we have got out of one tight spot and right into something worse, but I have faith in God and he will help us.’
The Germans employed parachute forces in a massive airborne invasion and attacked the three main airfields of the island in Maleme, Rethymno and Heraklion. After seven days of fighting and tough resistance, Allied commanders decided that the cause was hopeless and ordered a withdrawal from Sfakia. During the night of 24 May, the King of Greece and his Government were evacuated from Crete to Egypt. On that same day, 24 May, Coleman wrote: ‘I am writing this in a dug out, things are very serious, we have no planes here and the Germans do just what they like. We get little chance for sleep or food, we are holding him but for how long? We must have planes. I feel just about on my last legs. Bombs, bombs, machine guns and so on all day, its very terrible. I can only pray and hope.’
On 25 May he wrote: ‘Things are very very serious, death or capture very near. Feel very ill and weary, we have been bombed and machine gunned for hours on end and many of our lads have been killed. We have to move back very soon. God knows how this will end.’ Two days later on 27 May he wrote: ‘I have lost the regiment now, we started to retreat and it is every man for himself. I have 6 men to look after and I shall get them to the beach, but it will be hard. We have 60 miles to walk over the mountains, the Germans are very close.’ He had his six men were heading for Sfakia, a mountainous area in the southwestern part of Crete, from where the remaining forces were being evacuated. It was tough going to get there.
On 29 May Coleman wrote: ‘Well I have made it, reached the beach this morning, handed over my men, and started off on my own. I met one of my officers and 2 Sgts and we have been given the job of loading wounded. We have worked all night and got most of them on board. Very sad sight, feel just about finished myself.’ Then on 30 May he wrote: ‘We have been bombed for several hours today on the beach, it was terrible, many killed and wounded, we managed to get on board HMS Phoebe at 12 pm, what a relief can hardly believe I am safe. Thank God for his mercy, I hope our other lads get off.’ It was not until 1 June that the surviving remnants were fully evacuated.
In the meantime, Coleman and his batch of survivors had crossed over to Egypt aboard the light cruiser H.M.S Phoebe. On 31 May he wrote: ‘Landed at Alexandria after a thrilling voyage. The hun attacked us several times, he hit one ship killing 12 men, the sailors were grand, looked after us, even giving us underclothes etc. to wear. i’m afraid we are in shocking state, haven’t washed or taken my clothes off for days and days, never mind we are here.’
He and the surviving remnants of his regiment came together again at El Tahag Camp in Egypt.
On 2 June he wrote: ‘I am now at a rest camp about 70 miles from Cairo. It is grand to feel clean again. Most of the regiment has joined us here but we have los quite a lot of men. Leave expected shortly, the Desert is very warm, now the sun is showing us its power, hope to get our mail soon. Bob and Frank are missing believed P.O.W.’
On 11 June he wrote: ‘Have just returned from 9 days leave in Cairo. Had fine time, met some grand friends, very happy to get lots of mail on my return, I am now at a rest camp. Feel pretty fit, but a little depressed we have lost a lot of men, several of them good pals of mine.’
Coleman then found himself with the elements of his regiment sent to Palestine. On 9 July he wrote: ‘We have left our rest camp and have arrived in Palestine. Rather like the country, we have made a halt at Salamantra Camp. Very pleasant. We have new guns and we are off to Syria. Longing for this war to end, fed right up these days.’ On 11 July he wrote: ‘Moving across Palestine, seems very strange to see the places one has read about in the Bible. Passed through Haifa this morning on our way to Nazareth. Now rather wonder what will happen in Syria, one will soon know.’
The Syria–Lebanon campaign, also known as Operation Exporter, was the invasion of Syria nnd Lebanon by the British forces, and combatting the Vichy French forces there. The campaign lasted from 8 June to 14 July 1941. Coleman and elements of the 64th Medium Regiment saw service during this campaign whilst under the overall command of the 1st Australian Corps.
On 11 July, Coleman wrote: ‘We have been in Syria quite a while now. The peace was signed just as we arrived. Very hot here, thousands of flies etc, not very pleasant. Have seen Damascus, Beyrout, but not very keen. Good swimming beaches here, lots of sand, and we get lot’s of sport, just received mail.’
However on 23 August, he wrote: ‘Have not received mail for a long time, feel rather fed up. I visited American University, very interesting, had good look over observatory, fine fun, not feeling too well! I think it’s the heat. Buried one of our Sgts recently, rather sad business. Longing for home.’ During that month his regiment as stationed at Chouiefat, Syria. On 3 September he wrote: ‘We are now at a practice camp in Syria. It is very cold at nights, we are high up in the hills. I have visited the Temple of Jupiter, very interesting. Received mail today. Our camp is on the Bekka plain, it has been the scene of more battles than any plain in the world.’
The diary entry for 23 September reads: ‘I have now left the Practice Camp at Baalbeck and i’m back in Khafchina, our old camp. The weather is changing, will rain very soon. Received 1st aero-graph from Florrie today. We are going to billet here for the winter, my last during war I hope, May the next see us home.’ Five days later however on 28 September he wrote: ‘Well well, there is no rest for us, we are moving again back to Egypt and then I expect the Libyan Desert. We crossed the border into Palestine today and we are camping in a spot quite near the main city, Haifa.’ The following day, 29 September, he confided: ‘We are now well into Palestine and will soon cross the border into Egypt. We are camping at a place called Gidna. I suppose we will have a long wait for mail again now.’ On 30 September he wrote: ‘Did 124 miles today and we are now camped on the Sinai, rather strange, this is the first desert I ever saw out East, and here we are back again.’ Then on 1 October: ‘Back at Tahag. We crossed the Suez today and we are once again in our old camp. It will be grand to have shower baths again, I found some mail waiting for me. On 2 October he simple wrote: ‘RIP. Death of Phil Porter / Tommy Small.’
Both men, who were clearly friends of Coleman. had died in Syria or during the journey home, presumably as a result of accidents. They appear in Coleman’s photograph archive. Thomas Robert Small was a Sergeant (No.814787) int the 64th Medium Regiment, who died on 28 September 1941 at Beirut, being buried in Beirut Wr Cemetery. Philip Ernest Porter was a Lance Bombardier (No.947019) in the 64 Medium Regiment, who died on 29 September 1941, being buried in Syria in Damascus Commonwealth War Cemetery.
As of October 1941 his regiment left the 1st Australian Corps and rejoined British Troops Egypt, and remained in camp ay El Tahag until December 1941.
On 4 December he wrote: ‘Left Tahag for the Libyan Desert again. We have spent quite a time here and have had a good rest. Edgar and several other Sgt’s left for O.C.T.U. (Officer Cadet Training Unit) yesterday, will miss them this trip. We should reach Mersa Matruh in about 3 days. I think it will be a very hard struggle this time. Have just received Christmas parcel from home. Just in time.’ His regiment was now becoming a part of the 8th Army.
Since the last time that Coleman had been in the Western Desert, a lot had happened. Although Rommel had been ordered to simply hold the line, an armed reconnaissance soon became a full-fledged offensive from El Agheila in March 1941. In March–April, Allied forces were forced back and leading general officers captured. The Australian 9th Infantry Division fell back to the fortress port of Tobruk, and the remaining British and Commonwealth forces withdrew a further 100miles east to the Libyan–Egyptian border. With Tobruk under siege by the main Italian-German force, a small battlegroup continued to press eastwards. Capturing Fort Capuzzo and Bardia in passing, it then advanced into Egypt, and by the end of April it had taken Sollum and the tactically important Halfaya Pass. Rommel garrisoned these positions, reinforcing the battle-group and ordering it onto the defensive.
Though isolated on land, Tobruk's garrison continued to receive supplies and replacements, delivered by the Royal Navy at night. Rommel's forces did not have the strength or training to take the fortress. This created a supply problem for his forward units. His front-line positions at Sollum were at the end of an extended supply chain that stretched back to Tripoli and had to bypass the coast road at Tobruk. Further, he was constantly threatened with a breakout of the British forces at Tobruk. Without Tobruk in Axis hands, further advances into Egypt were impractical. The Allies launched a small-scale counter-attack called Operation Brevity in an attempt to push Axis forces off the key passes at the border, with some initial success. However they could not hold the advance positions and followed Brevity up with a much larger-scale offensive, Operation Battleaxe, intended to relieve the siege at Tobruk, but this operation also failed.
Following the failure of Operation Battleaxe, Archibald Wavell was relieved of command and replaced by Claude Auchinleck, and the Western Desert Forces was reinforced with a second corps, XXX Corps, to become the 8th Army. The new formation launched a new offensive, Operation Crusader, in November. After a see-saw battle, the 70th Division garrisoning Tobruk was relieved and the Axis forces were forced to fall back. By January 1942, the front line was again at El Agheila, and Coleman’s 211th Battery found itself operating in support of the 2nd South African Division.
On 20 December 1941, Coleman wrote in his diary: ‘We left Mersa Matruh today for the battle front, we are going to Bardia in an effort to dislodge Jerry. Rather hoped to have a quiet Christmas but i’m afraid we are unlucky, plenty of our planes and tanks about this time, after 12 months of fighting we are back to where we first started, still, hope we make a real job of it this time.’ He was set to arrive at the tail end o Operation Crusader, which officially came to an end on 30 December. On 23 December he wrote: ‘We are just outside Bardia now, I expect we will go into action tonight. Weather very windy and rain looking probable. Plenty of smashed vehicles about, things must have been very rough at one time. Christmas Eve tomorrow.’ On 25 December he added: ‘Christmas Day. We are shelling Bardia. I have been very close to the front line several nights this week, getting our battle positions ready, looks like a very big show. It’s very cold. I haven’t slept for 3 days. Let’s hope this time next year I shall be home.’
On 2 January 1942 Coleman recorded in his diary: ‘Bardia surrendered today at 12 pm, they put up a good fight but we were a bit too strong. Lost two lads killed by bombing, it is very cold and simply pouring with rain. We are all very wet and dirty, haven’t washed for several days. Mail arrived while we were in action. Very welcome. Feel very weary, had very little sleep or food. Shortbread from my wife my main food. I hope this year will bring the end of war.’
Coleman recorded the final entry in his diary on 4 January 1942. ‘We are now attacking Halfaya Pass, the Germans are about 7,000 strong and should put up a good fight. I have been decorated with the D.C.M. for work in Greece, feel very pleased and my Regt seem to be very proud. There is a blinding sandstorm raging, it’s horrible.’
Coleman saw service in North Africa through to the final surrender of the Axis forces in Tunisia in May 1943 which his unit forming part of the 5th Army Group Royal Artillery to which all the medium artillery had been allotted. Little is known of his personal service during this period, as no diary survives, however his unit was back at El Tahag Camp in Egypt during February 1942, and later that month it was posted back to Syria as part of 10 Corps, but whilst still with the same corps, returned to Egypt in June 1942 when it was rushed there to man the front line as the British and Commonwealth forces were forced back towards El Alamein. Doing duty with the 2nd New Zealand Division, during June 1942 the 64th Medium Regiment suffered heavy casualties, with Coleman’s 211th Battery reduced to 5 guns and 212 Battery to 4 guns, with over 250 men lost during the withdrawal, known as the Battle of Gazala.
There had again been a reverse for the British and Commonwealth forces in North Africa. After receiving supplies and reinforcements from Tripoli, the Axis had attacked again, defeating the Allies in the Battle of Gazala in June and capturing Tobruk which fell on 21 June 1942 in the aftermath of the Second Battle of Tobruk. The Axis forces drove the Eighth Army back over the Egyptian border, but their advance was stopped in July only 90 miles from Alexandria in the First Battle of El Alamein, that lasted from 1 to 27 July 1942. In this battle, Coleman’s unit manned positions on Ruweisat Ridge, being by now equipped with three new 4.5 inch guns.
Coleman was serving as a Warrant Officer 2nd Class with the 64th Medium Regiment when he was wounded in action in Egypt in the area of El Alamein on 30 July 1942.
General Auchinleck, although he had checked Rommel's advance at the First Battle of El Alamein, was replaced by General Harold Alexander. Lieutenant-General William Gott was promoted from XIII Corps commander to command of the entire Eighth Army, but he was killed when his aircraft was intercepted and shot down over Egypt. He was replaced by Lieutenant-General Bernard Montgomery.
Coleman’s would was clearly not too serious, and if he was recovered in time, he would have been present with B Troop 211 Battery when it was detached to 4 Light
Armoured Brigade as part of 30 Corps during the fighting at Mersa Braga and Marble Arch in Libya during November to December 1942. Having fought through the Tebega Gap and at Akarit it had crossed over the Mareth Line into Tunisia, and was at Enfidaville in April and at Medjez El Bab and then finally in the fighting on the Cape Bon Peninsula during May 1943, at which time the Axis forces surrendered in North Africa.
Coleman’s is known to have been with ‘B’ Troop, 211th Battery when it invaded Sicily in July 1943 and operating in support of the 51st (Highland) Division, and was present in action at Gerbini, Randazzo and Mille St Marco, before getting to fire shells onto the Italian mainland when opportunity arose. Whilst in Sicily he attended a parade in Messina that saw him being finally presented with the ribbon for his award of the Distinguished Conduct Medal, this being presented to him by General Bernard Montgomery, with the occasion being well documented by surviving photographs;. Coleman did not take part in any significant manner in the fighting on the mainland of Italy as 30 Corps was withdrawn to prepare for Operation Overlord, and his unit, having handed in all heavy equipment, was embarked on 9 November for Algeria, where it then re-embarked on 28 November for the United Kingdom, arriving at Liverpool on 9 December 1943. Coleman was finally home again.
As part of 30 Corps, his unit was now preparing for the invasion of Normandy and North West Europe, and was stationed at Felixstowe in Suffolk, and then moved Clacton in Essex in May 1944, as 30 Corps wanted two Batteries of 4.5 inch guns to land in France first. The 4.5-inch gun had a lighter shell but longer range than the 5.5-inch, and XXX Corps wanted both batteries landed first. For the invasion of Normandy, 211 Battery was temporarily attached to 7th Medium Regiment and 25/26 Battery of the 7th Medium Regiment was attached to 64th Medium Regiment in its place. After landing in Normandy, Coleman’s 211th Medium Battery rejoined the Regiment on 11 June. During the fighting in Normandy, it was present in action at Le Hamel, Vaux sur Seulles and Bayeux.
As of July 1944 the 211th Battery was positioned at Verrieres, and then later that month at Cahagnolles, and during August was in action at Mont Pincon, Argentan, Laigle and Vernon. After pushing through northern France it entered Belgium and was in action at Antwerp and on the Escaut Cana during September 1944. It then formed part of 30 Corps advance to the Rhine during the attempt to relieve the beleaguered airborne forces fighting at Arnhem.
As was the case for 30 Corps, it successfully reached Nijmegen, but got no further. Having arrived at Nijmegen on the morning of 21 September, at 0935 hrs a strange station was heard on the Regimental radio net. It turned out to be 1 Forward Observation Unit with 1 Airborne Division in Arnhem, the division’s first contact with the outside world since dropping on 17 September. Coleman’s 64th Medium Regiment along with 419 Battery of the 52nd Heavy Regiment, provided support for the paras until their withdrawal on the night of 25/26 September. This radio link was, for most of this time, 1 Airborne Division’s only link with 30 Corps. The regiment responded to appeals for fire support with the 4.5-inch battery, firing at extreme range. The battery moved up about 4000 yards about midday to shorten the range, while a 155mm battery was being hurried up the road and attached to 64 Medium Regiment about 16.00, while an officer was sent out with a relay wireless as far forward as possible. The following day the regiment engaged 31 targets for 1st Airborne, and the regiment's 5.5-inch battery, which had been supporting the advance of 30 Corps, was brought up and positioned with the 4.5s by first light on 23 September. A battery of 3.7 inch Heavy Anti-Aircraft guns and a further 4.5-inch battery came under command, but the road behind them had been cut, so ammunition supply became a problem, as 25 targets were engaged. By the night of 25 September, 1st Airborne could hold out no longer, and the remnants were evacuated across the Nederrijn under cover of a heavy barrage from 64 Medium Regiment and its attached guns.
In recognition of this support at Arnhem, 30 Corps agreed to a request from Major General Urquhart that the 64th Medium Regiment be allowed to wear the Airborne’s Pegasus badge on the lower right sleeve.
Coleman’s extensive archive of photographs fill in this period to some extent. He formed part of 30 Corps famed advance in the attempt to relieve Arnhem, and he was directly photograph at Hees in the vicinity of Nijmegen on 8 October 1944, whilst other photographs confirm he was there in the same location at Hees from 21 September through to 9 October 1944.
64th Medium Regiment continued to support 21st Army Group as part of 5th Army Group Royal Artillery until the end of the war in Europe, and during the winter of 1944 to 1945 he spent his Christmas in Holland, and still appears to have been located at Nijmegen and operating on the banks of the Waal, as he recorded that the river was frozen over and that people were walking across the river. His regiment formed part of Operation Veritable, the clearance of the Reichswald Forest on the Dutch-German border, from 8 February to 11 March 1945, but he was certainly located at Nijmegen when a photograph was taken there n 22 February 1945. He then entered into Germany, where his regiment handed in its guns and undertook occupation duties in Germany. He was there when a cricket match was organised between his regiment and the Royal Navy.
Coleman was demobilised to the Class ’Z:’ Territorial Reserve on 2 March 1946, and was soon afterwards presented with his award of the Distinguished Conduct Medal by His Majesty The King. The North London Press newspaper for 26 June 1946 would detail that Islington Borough Council had congratulated him on his award,
On 4 February 1949 the North London Press would note that Coleman had taken over from his father as the proprietor of Coleman’s General Store on Hornsey Road in Holloway. The article titled ‘D.C.M. Serves Holloway Wives’ would confirm that his father had retired and that the son was taking over the mantle.
In 1951 Coleman wrote to a former 64th (London) Medium Regiment officer, namely Anthony Darnborough who had won the Military Cross in the same action that Colman had won his Distinguished Conduct Medal. Darnborough was by then a recognised film producer who had recently got married. Darnborough is his letter thanking Coleman for making contact, would note: ‘I often think of you, and the good times we had together. Now I come to think of it I wouldn’t be alive to get married anyway if it wasn’t for you.’ Colman passed away in 1996.
